1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to server systems accessible by user terminals, and more particularly to server systems providing physical item database services to users over a network.
2. Related Art
Historically, collectors, business owners, and others have kept written listings and/or ledgers that identify their physical items, whether they are collectibles, household possessions, business equipment, product inventory, or other physical items. The written listings/ledgers typically included additional information regarding the physical items, for example, quantity, value, physical characteristics, model number, serial number, et cetera. Generation of these listings/ledgers was difficult. Further, when the status of the physical items represented in the written listing/ledger changed, it was very difficult to alter the written listings/ledgers to represent the change in status.
As technology advanced, computer based inventory programs replaced written listings/ledgers. While the computer based programs moved the record keeping from a hand-written to an electronic format, the burdensome data entry and organizational requirements for interacting with the computer based inventory programs remained with the user. Data entry for dissimilar physical items still necessitated repeating the input process multiple times, even when using a computer-based program.
Often, collectors, business owners, and others required information relating to their physical items. In obtaining this information, these persons accessed the Internet, particularly looking to ecommerce sites for such information. Ecommerce sites, however, had generated information that was limited to specific search terms selected by a user, and not based upon the items in the user's control. That is, information returned in a search tool is limited to the capability of the user to generate a sufficient search string—that is, to have the requisite “knowledge to know what they do not know.” As a result, time and energy was needlessly expended refining a search that in the end may not render a suitable result for the user.
Once the inventory database was established, however, the number of physical items in the inventory increased, as did the burden to maintain the itemized inventory, location, and identification of the physical items, particularly with the entry of multiple items sharing the same or similar attributes, and maintaining the database with the transfer of items through sale, trade and/or barter. As the inventory lapsed into disuse due to the effort to maintain the database, the ability to recreate the inventory became very difficult when faced with filing claims with governmental authorities and/or insurers upon the loss or destruction of items. Accordingly, a need exists for reducing the maintenance burden of an inventory of physical items in a transactional environment, and to simplify the process to provide the physical items and/or updated inventory listings to third party service providers.